
Qass r ^.T^ 

Book ^S'i'k> 



SERMON; 

Preached at West Alexandria, Ohio., April 30th, 1865, 



BY 



REV. S. SALISBURY, 



ox T H K A S S A S S I \ A T I C» > O F 



ABRAHAM LINCOLN 



LATE PRESIDENT OF THE U. S. 



(Printed by reqiiext oi the hearers.) 



EATON, O.: 

E4T0X WEEKLY RKGH3TER HAND PONVER-PRESS PRINT. 

1 s (; 5 . 



SERMON; 

Preached at West Alexandria, Ohio., April 30th, 1865, 



BY 



REV. S. SALISBURY, • 

ON THE ASSASSINATION OF 

ABRAHAM LOCOLN, 

LATE PRESIDENT OP THE U. S. 



(Printed by request of the hearers.) 




EATON, O.: 

EATON WEEKLY REGISTER HAND rOWER-PKESS PRINT- 

1865. 



h-4Gl 



SERMON. 



TEXT.~''W}iat manner of mania this?"— Math. 8; 27. 



We live in a momentous age. Event rushes upon event, as 
though time was limited. There never was so much in any 
age to inspire the poet, give wings to imagination, and fire the 
heart of the orator, as now. 

There has been a problem before the world, and it was this: 
"Did God create man sufficient to govern himself?" America 
has had the prerogative to give a practical solution. The no- 
blemen of the North, with sword and bayonet in hand, have 
decided a question that Greece and Rome failed to do. A de- 
cision not rehshed by crowned heads. 

Revolution is the history of the world. Progress has been 
through blood. It is a marked fact, the world has never made 
a step toward the goal of happiness but through blood. 

There is another fact as true as it may appear strange; truth 
in all ages has been opposed by the majority, and indorsed by 
the minority. But truth is like to the eye of Jehovah, it mil 
pierce every heart. Truth is a Goddess; her brow is already 
decked with laurels. ' She broods over destiny, and will smile 
away our darkness, and banish error. 

Europe for ages past has been the theater of contest; here 
kingdoms have arisen and fallen, empires have alike perished. 
There the conquerer has immortalized himself; but for the last 
eighty years America has been the field of action. Truth is 
about to establish here a nucleus, amid inexhaustible resour- 
ces, around which she will revolve until the world is revolu- 
tionized. 

Our fathers in the revolutionary struggle got to themselves 
a great name; and in 1812, they acquitted themselves like men; 



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and God soon made us a great nation. But the South, through 
their bosom sin, became impious and corrupted. They de- 
manded of the North, and we yielded, until to farther cede to 
their dictations was humility and universal slavery. When 
we saw fit to assert we were stockholders in this great Com- 
monwealth of America, and we would cling to the Constitu- 
tion, (they long having taken our humility for lack of ability,) 
from their batteries they belched forth, rending the folds so 
dear to every patriot's heart. 

This they supposed they could do with impunity, for oft* 
had they expressed their" belief that among the **mud sills of the 
North" there were not men of ability, and that in the din of 
battle, one of the Southern chivalry would more than match 
five of Lincoln's hirelings. 

When our Banner was insulted the legion was aroused, and 
like an avalanch swept over the doomed South. But many of 
the brave self-denying defenders of right suffered, bled and died. 
But still the tide swept on, on, gloriously, until Richmond fell, 
and Lee, the commander of the rebel hosts, surrendered. 

Then did the ''Stars and Stripes" float from the topmost 
mast. Bells joined in jubilant chimes. The loud toned can- 
non rolled her notes across plane and valley, and every patri- 
ot's heart beat high. Then did our President set apart the 
14th day of April, 1865, as a day of thanksgiving. Whilst the 
nation was rendering willing obedience to the call; when we 
were most joyous, the wires bore to us the sad intelligence that 
our Chief Executive was assassinated. Then did our flags fall 
to half mast, all clad in mourning; our bells again resounded, 
h\xi it was in peals of sadness. Then were our hearts smitten 
within us, and our eyes streamed with tears. The portals of 
the temple, palace, and hovel, alike wore the badge of death. — 
We prayed, we were humbled. We sought rest in sleep, we 
closed our eyes to the scene, but our first waking moments were 
greeted with depression, a vacancy; there was a pressing gloom. 
When we enquired of the cause, the echo deep in our heart 
was, "the Moses of the nation has fallen." 

And to-day the wound is fresh, it is not bound up, nor mol- 



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ified with ointment. It the heavens were hung with garlands, 
and nature should burst forth in all the beauty of a May morn- 
ing, how could it make merry our hearts? If angel choirs 
should arouse in anthems every harp, how could our hearts 
unite in the strain? Then why should this task devolve upon 
me? Do I feel the stroke less than my hearers? I see that 
youth as he stands by the newly made grave of his father. — 
How could he pronounce his father's funeral? Then how shall 
I speak to you to-day? 

When a great one of Sparta had fallen, the orator of the day 
exclaimed, *'send for a foreigner, how can a Spartan speak?" — 
Send for an Englishman, or a Frenchman; how can an Ameri- 
can speak? 

But we can go, a mournful band, and stand beside the illus- 
trious dead, and drink in that melancholy the soul so much 
covets at this hour. Whilst we stand in a place kindred in 
solemnity to the garden of Joseph, let us renew the enquiry, — 
"What manner of man is this?" In reply we remark, 

1st. — He was a Nobleman. England may boast her lords 
and princes; France her Napoleons; Greece her men of science, 
and Rome her orators; but we, to-day, boast a greater man 
than these. He was not the son of fortune; but by his strong 
arm and giant intellect he hewed it out of destiny. He was 
not the son of a king; he was the son of a Kentucky farmer. — 
He did not take his existance in a palace; but in a rude log- 
cabin. No nation rejoiced at his birth; the world was uncon- 
scious of its cradled jewel. And the young mother, as she 
pressed the fond kiss to his infant lips, never dreamed that she 
had given birth to the great dictator of human liberty, His 
being was not greeted with music is they are wont to do in the 
old world when a dictator is born. But I remember when 
Christ was mangered angels made jubilant the sky; and I ima- 
gine, if this choir was ever since aroused to strike to praise the 
yre, iiwas when Abraham Lincoln was born. He was a true 
nobleman— the people's nobleman. Birth cannot constitute 
American nobility. "That elevation of soul which compre- 
hends bravery, generosity, magnanimity, intrepidity, and con- 



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tempt of every thing that dishonors character," constitutes true 
nobility. Did not all this preeminently centre in Abraham 
Lincoln. He was generous as a giver. He supported the Gos* 
pel at home and abroad, the Sabbath School cause, yea, every 
work of emulation his hand was ever open to assist. The poor 
never went from his door empty. He was generous as an op- 
ponent. He appeared ever to have before his mind, "man is 
dust" — *'it is human to err." He was never known to indulge 
in bitter personality — an error so common among politicians. 
When he was treacherously dealt with, he patiently corrected 
the error, scarcely charging heme upon his antagonist his well 
earned exposure; carefully avoiding railing for railing. When 
his opponent was fairly beaten, he was among the first to 
grasp him warmly by the hand, and assure him he was his 
Iriend. And when he had the Southern rebellion to meet, and 
had enemies who clamored for his blood, yet in the last cabinet 
meeting he ever held, he spoke kindly of Gen. Lee, pleaded for 
mercy for rebel leaders. He was not a personal enemy to any 
man, he was only an enemy to false principles. He was brave. 
In the Blackhawk war he volunteered and was elected Captain 
of a company, and showed himself to be a man of a noble brave 
heart. Before he was inaugurated President, when the assas- 
sin was upon his track, and some would have deterred him 
from duty, he replied, "I cannot count my own life dear". On 
his visit to Richmond, and the night of his assassinatiouyit is 
thought he was too regardless of danger. 

**He had a contempt for every thing that dishonored charac- 
ter." He was never known to tell a falsehood. Never con- 
tracted a debt but he paid. Was never known to take the ad- 
vantage of any man. It was once proposed to him to elect 
him by fraud; he at once informed his opponent of the scheme^ 
declaring he "would have no office by fraud." 

See yon star mid its constellation; it is of greatest magnitude,. 
it is destined to rise, but rises in its own orbit, though in bright- 
ness excels all others, yet all glory in its light. So was Abra- 
ham Lincoln in the political horizon; he was greatest, he was 
destined to rise, but rose fairly — on true merit; and though ha- 



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outshone all others, yet they are now compelled to glory in his 

light. 

2d. — He was a wise man. Among those best acquainted 
with Mr. Lincoln, there never was any doubt of his ability. — 
One of his clients, before Mr. Lincoln was known to any ex- 
tent, exclaimed, "he is the wisest man in the United States." — 
There is a difference between wisdom and knowledge. A man 
may have extensive knowledge, yet be very unwise. To be 
wise is to make a good use @f knowledge; ability to discern the 
right and detect the wrong. When we consider the limited 
advantages Mr. Lincoln enjoyed, he displayed great wisdom 
in his course of study. First, he acquainted himself with lan- 
guage; second. Mathematics; third, Metaphysics; fourth Law; 
fifth. History and the poets; and adding to this constant gen- 
eral reading, he was ever prepared for any work the nation 
might require of him. 

As a Legislator he displayed great ability. He served his 
State at the time Illinois was fanatical on internal Improve- 
ment. Mr. Lincoln was there as a moderator; saving the State 
from irrecoverable debt; encouraging improvement as far as 
the ability of the State would warrant. So impressed were 
the poople with the wisdom of his course, they desired him to 
serve them the fourth term. But his ability was never known 
until he served us as President. 

The labors of a President of the United States is always diffi- 
cult; but call to mind the circumstances under which Mr. Lin- 
coln took his seat. Our enemies said to us, "you have no 
Government," and with defiance cried, "enforce law if you can." 
At the same time there was in the South a thoroughly matured 
rebellion, armed and equipped for battle of the most gigantic 
proportions ever known to the world. Infuriated, they cried 
for blood, unfurling their black banners; saying by this, "no 
quarters". The Government had no money, no men in tiie field, 
no arms, no navy. With a united South and a divided North 
did he assume his solemn responsibility. A single spark will 
blow up yon magazine; a misstep at one time (yea, many 
times) would have plunged us in all the horrors of anarchy. 



(8) 

The skillful physician understands that a remedy which may 
at one stage of a disease work a cure, may at another take life. 

So the Proclamation which saved the Government, at one 
time would have proved ruinous; but as a wise physician he 
kept his hand on the great national pulse, and administered the 
remedy in salvation's hour. When in time of peace we have 
not had a President but has often committed errors; but where 
is Lincoln's egregious blunder? Now look at the mazes of 
trouble which surrounded him, and the intricate questions 
before him, and how wisely he dispensed government mid it all, 
we would almost exclaim as Socrates did of an ancient, **he 
had his dwelliog among the Gods." 

3d. — He was a patriot. A patriot is one who loves his Gov- 
ernment, and defends it. The name patriot is euphonious to 
our ear. It is an appellation dear to our hearts. When I see 
the gory battle fields, and the untold suffering of the hospital, 
my prayer is, God bless the patriot. When I visit the desolate 
hearth-stone, see the mother as she weeps at the utterance of a 
name so dear to her, when I go to the sanctuary and see the 
weeds of mourning, and remember the orphans at home, emo- 
tions struggle in my bosom to which I cannot give utterance; 
but my soul says, God bless the noble patriot. He was the op- 
posite of the traitor. A traitor is one who opposes his govern- 
ment. This is considered a crime by Revelation; we are to be 
subject to the powers that be. It is held to be a crime by kings 
and emperors; if it be a crime to revolt against a king or an em- 
peror, how much greater the crime to revolt against this govern- 
ment? the best government in existence — God's form of govern- 
ment. He was slow to give the people a king. God never made 
any man to be a king, to lord it over the people's heritage. He 
made all men to be free men as we are in America. To revolt 
against this government, where the people are the rulers, and 
every man has a republic of his own, how black the crime! — 
Let the painter dip his pencil in deepest hues and portray trea- 
son; now multiply the scene by every patriot that has fallen, 
and I imagine you have not yet the blackness of treason against 
the American Government. 



(. 9 ) 

I am glad that Johnson has said, "treason is a crime and 
must be punished." All crime must be punished; and sins of a 
corporate body must be punished in time. God often uses men 
to inflict merited punishment, and if we stay the suspended 
sword of justice will we be held guiltless? Would it not be 
treason against Heaven; and would it not bring upon us future 
trouble? Mark t^is! God's designs are not to be frustrated. — 
I hear a voice from spilt patriot blood upon a hundred battle- 
fields, crying, "we will not hold you guiltless." 

Look yonder! What a sight greets my eyes ! It is an army 
of sixty thousand starved in Southern prisons. They heard of 
"compromise," and they have burst the imprisoning grave! — 
See them! Sixty thousand in number, as they with one accord 
raise their long skeleton arms to Heaven! Hark! as they with 
one voice cry, "we adjure you by the Living God, punish trea- 
son!" 

But there is yet a punishment more terrible than the halter. 
It is public sentiment. It gathers as a storm, it comes with the 
tread of an earthquake, it comes with a breath that burns like 
the seething of hell. I see treason before it fall as the forest 
before the s:yveeping tempest. Save me from the crash of pub- 
lic sentiment? 

4th. — He died a martyr. I will not attempt to describe the 
scene. Language fails, imagination droops her wings, and 
thought falters. The crime, how can it be stigmatised? It is 
a disgrace to America, to the world; yea, to the nineteenth cen- 
tury! It was the legitimate first born of treason. If this be 
her first born, her second would be a monster of such propor- 
tions hell would blush to harbor! Then shall I plot treason? — 
Shall I sympathise with treason? In time to come shall friends 
blush to hear my name? Rather let my right arm fall palsied 
to my side! Rather let my tongue cleave to the roof of my 
mouth! Can I find a parallel to the crime? I recount the 
long list of martyred kings in ancient times; I go back as far as 
the scene of Calvary, and am led to exclaim, the world has not 
had a parallel since the crucifixion of Christ. 

Let us now enquire what good can come out of this great ca- 



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lamity? When the sad tidings f\rst fell upon our ears, we would 
have said, "no good can come out of this." But more mature 
reflection may lead us to a different conclusion. 

God can sutler nothing to come to pass out of which he can- 
not bring good. God would not have suifered the crucifixion 
of Christ, had he not seen that more good would accrue from 
his death, than had he not died. 1 — God has a cause. 
2 — He has power to prevent all that would militate against that 
cause. 3 — God is true to that cause. Therefore God can 
suffer nothing to come to pass hut that out of which he can 
bring good. . According to this plain and irrefutable reasoning? 
there must be good to result from this great man's death. Yea, 
I may sa-fely go farther and affirm, there must be more good to 
result from his death than could from his having lived longer. 

However, 1 cannot endorse the doctrine some have promul- 
gated, which may be sumed up thus; God could use Abraham 
Lincoln no longer as an instrument for good, and according to 
stern decree he must be taken out of the world at the time, and 
in the manner he was. I imagine God always has use for 
such men as our lamented President, and that the lives of God's 
servants do not so much militate against his cause, as to render 
their slaughter pleasing in his sight. And if in the councils of 
the Trinity it was unalterably fixed '*from all eternity" that he 
should die at the time and in the manner he did. Booth was as 
much the servant of God when he committed that act, as the 
victim was when he said, "let the bondman go free." If this 
be true, is it not a burning shame that this nation mourned 
when God's will was done! God suffered it because he saw 
there would be more good accomplished by his death than could 
be by his life. I suppose we are not yet able to see all that 
has and is to be accomplished by his death, yet some good is 
apparent. 1. — If treason can be disgraced, this has brought 
shame upon the rebel cause. And will it not enable many 
wavering ones in the future to be more decided in defense of 
the national cause. 2. — It has united the North. His blood 
was the cement, that like a magic power, has bound in union 
disaffected hearts. 3. — Will do more to bring just punish* 



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ment upon treason than any act of the rebellion. We say 
any act of the rebellion, because it is well known, since two 
hundred of the accomplices have been arrested, that the plot 
was known to the rebel chieftains, and approved by them, and 
by it they hoped to plunge us into anarchy, and thus succeed. 
4. — By his death we were humbled. Though we were at times 
beaten upon the battle-field, though tens of thousands were 
slain, we were divided in the North; our debt was accumula- 
ting by millions, and were threatened b}' foreign powers, yet 
we were proud and boastful. Our resources were great, and 
we had a master spirit at the helm, we were confident would 
guide this great national vessel safely across this turbulent po- 
litical sea; but when he fell we were humbled. Ah, yes! God*s 
finger is skillful to strike the chord which vibrates in richest 
notes. 5. — His blood has made the cause of human liberty ' 
sacred. All great and noble enterprises have been baptized in • 
blood. The greater the cause the more precious the blood de- ' 
manded. His blood was of too great a price to be used but in 
baptismal sprinkling. No blood could have fitly baptized the 
cause of the world's redepmtion but the blood of Christ. No 
blood could have filly baptized the cause of human liberty but 
the blood of Abraham Lincoln. 

When the blow was struck, and the great man had fallen, 
when friends had sufficiently recovered from the shock, they 
fitly wrapped his body in the American flag. My father taught 
me to revere this banner; but when he told of our noble fathers 
who bled beneath her folds in revolutionary days, and that he 
marched to battle in 1812, cheered by this ensign, I loved it all 
the more; but now that it is made sacred by the blood of a mar- 
tyred Lincoln, I press it to my heart. 

"Wave on, thou emblem of liberty, from the Atlantic in the 
East to the Pacific in the West!" Thou ensign of the brave, 
kiss in triumph the Gulf in the South! Let the rays of thy 
blood besprinkled folds linger upon the mountains of the North! 
Wave until treason is punished ! Wave on forever, over undi- 
vided America! 




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IB.Ja'i.S 




